


let me show you something wonderful

by SkylarkOfTheMoon



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: EmiMike is the major ship, Fluff, Gamer!Emil, Getting Together, M/M, Mall AU, i guess, model!Mickey, the others are just mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 06:42:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15600564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkylarkOfTheMoon/pseuds/SkylarkOfTheMoon
Summary: In which Emil runs a video game store, Michele is an attendant in a suits boutique and they somehow fall in love along the way.





	let me show you something wonderful

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this post on tumblr http://orarewedancy.tumblr.com/post/165972361138/so-i-work-at-a-video-game-store-in-a-mall-and
> 
> The title is taken from Justin Timberlake's "Suit and Tie" and Marion Aunor's "Take A Chance"

Emil loves his job at the Common Grounds Gaming Hub, or ‘The Hub’ for short. It’s a small shop located at the top floor of a mall strip, in between a jewelry store and an Internet café. His days consist of beta-testing games in the gaming area, hosting the occasional DnD tournament and designing his own game on his spare time. Over the two years he’s spent in this shop working, he made friends with the other shop owners, like that nice Japanese family that runs the restaurant he frequents during lunch breaks, Christophe from the spa around the corner and Jj from the music shop on the other end of the top floor.

The only thing he doesn’t like about his job is the fact that the shop doesn’t have its own bathroom, forcing him to trek all the way to Jj’s store to borrow his or going to the pay toilet in the lower floor. There’s also the fact that the jewelry store attendants next door are a bunch of inconsiderate jerks and the fact that there’s ongoing construction in the shop just across his, derailing the customer traffic that passes in front of his shop.

Oh well. Emil has never been the type to hold grudges over anyone, and with that new store opening, maybe it will carry over some customers to his shop.

* * *

 

 

_Stammi Vicino Men’s Boutique_

_Soft opening_

_Open to all_

A large crowd is forming at the storefront. Emil catches a glimpse of fancy-looking suits behind glass walls and a long, red ribbon stretching in between the large double doors. He elbows his way through the crowd that reaches all the way across his own store.

Christophe is behind his register, idly tapping on his phone. When Emil has to go run to the bathroom, he usually asks Christophe to watch the shop for him.

“I didn’t know people were that interested in suits,” Emil comments once he’s in the safety of his shop. “Hey Chris, if I wore a suit do you think it will attract more customers?”

Christophe eyes his ratty old Zelda shirt and paint-stained cargo shorts. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that, but don’t you think that would be out of place in here?”

“Fair enough.” Emil gestures to the crowd outside with a tilt of his head. “Want to go watch or are you going to spend lunch with Masumi and the cats again?”

“Unfortunately I must deprive _mon chou_ of my presence today. You see, I’m friends with the owner of that new boutique and I must attend the opening--moral support and all that. Also, Viktor will whine and I do not want him to drop by the spa to do so.”

Someone is shouting outside, in a different language, and it is followed by the sound of cheering and clapping. Christophe gets that same crinkled look in his eyes whenever Emil or Yuuri does something endearing.

“That would be Viktor. Want to watch with me?”

“In that crowd? No thanks. I have a date with a new Sims extension pack and a bowl of nachos.”

Christophe directs that crinkled look at him. “Whatever you say.”

Emil waves him off. The bell tinkles as Christophe exits the shop. He goes back to work—restocking shelves, unpacking new releases, making sure the computers and other platforms are in shape. The crowd outside is loud; a ringing voice is carrying over all the noise and delivering a welcoming speech.  It makes Emil think back to his own opening two years ago. He had the video games and computer games free for all and ordered a bunch of beer and snacks for his customers. It wasn’t as grand or as huge as the boutique’s but Emil liked it enough. As long as his customers were happy, he was happy.

His thoughts are interrupted by his phone ringing. He drops the case he was holding back in its box and pulls out his phone. It was an old, battered thing, covered in Mario stickers.

_From: Yuuri_

_Subj: lunch order_

_I’m outside your store but I can’t get in. There’s a large crowd outside. Mind coming out? Sorry for the trouble._

Emil looks out the door. The crowd is still cheering loudly, there’s barely any elbow room in between people. He can see Christophe up ahead, recording the speaker, a silver-haired man with a thick accent talking animatedly on a microphone. As much as he doesn’t want to go back out there, he knows how Yuuri is with a crowd.

He finds him at the outskirts of the opening, three stores down from his. He’s regarding the throng of people with an apprehensive look on his face.

“Thanks Yuuri.” Emil turns him away from the crowd, laying a hand on his shoulder in comfort, as he accepts the brown paper bag Yuuri is holding. He pays the exact amount and says,” You know I could have just gone down. It wouldn’t be too much trouble.”

“It’s fine.” Yuuri gives him a small smile. “Christophe invited me to watch anyway. He says he knows the owner.”

“If you’re looking for him, he’s right over there.” Emil jerks his thumb at the crowd. Christophe is near the door way of the boutique. “Thanks for the delivery. I’ll see you around.”

Yuuri waves goodbye at him. “See you Emil.”

Emil starts walking through the crowd again? Is it just him or did they grow thicker from minutes ago? Phones are raised in the air, flashing in succession. Emil mutters excuses under his breath when he jostles some other people. He’s taller than most of them and with his build it’s easy to make other people budge.

Just as he nears the safety of his shop, a surge of people closes him in. Seriously, what is the big deal about this new shop?! It’s just a bunch of fancy suits.

Someone knocks him in the shoulder and it’s enough to catch him off balance. Emil feels his feet slip from underneath him.

Instead of meeting the cold, hard floor, he hits something solid and arms wrap around his waist, preventing his fall.

“ _Signore,_ are you all right?”

Emil tilts his head up and meets the most gorgeous pair of eyes he’s ever seen.

They’re a dark violet color outlined with wrinkles and thick eyelashes. The rest of the man’s face was just as gorgeous with his olive skin and sharp features. It’s the kind of face that you’d see in a fashion magazine or the ones on display in Chris’ spa that advertises their skin treatments.

Emil doesn’t know how long he’s been staring until the man grunts and adjusts his hold around Emil’s waist.

“S-sorry!” Emil stands up properly and turns to fully face him.

The man is a few inches shorter than him with dark brown hair. He’s wearing a gray suit with darker pinstripes that highlights his lean build. His dress shirt was unbuttoned and Emil had to force his eyes to look up.

The man gives him a once over. Emil would like to think he is checking him out but he’s just probably looking him over for injuries. He feels self conscious in his nerdy t-shirt and clutching take out in front of a man who wears a suit like he was born to wear it. Once he looks satisfied, his eyes flick back up to meet Emil’s, pinning him down with a stern look. “Be careful next time.”

He walks away.

It’s like getting tunnel vision. All the sounds of the crowd around him shutters until all he can hear is his own heartbeat. He follows the man as he walks to the front of the shop and joins a line of men who are all wearing suits.

“So without further ado, I hereby formally open the Stammi Vicino Men’s Boutique.”

The applause pulls Emil from his thoughts. Camera flashes surround him as the ribbon is cut in front of the shop.

He doesn’t hear Christophe sliding up next to him.

“I thought you had a date with your games and nachos?”

“I think there’s someone else I’d rather date.”

“Eh?”

* * *

 

Emil’s days consist of beta-testing games in the gaming area, hosting the occasional DnD tournament, designing his own game on his spare time, and most recently, watching the shop across his to catch a glimpse of the gorgeous man that caught him before.

“His name is Michele,” Christophe tells him when he visits Emil during lunch. Emil is heating up two chicken wraps in the microwave he keeps near the counter. “He’s one of the attendants for the shop and form what I gather he also models the suits in their spreads.” Christophe leans over the counter, pressing his cheek to the palm of his hand. “It might be time for that new suit, eh?”

Emil scoffs as he pulls out their lunch. “I’m not dropping a thousand dollars on a suit I will never use just to ogle at a guy.”

“Then, just ask if you can use their bathroom. It’s better than walking all the way to Jj’s or using the pay toilet.”

“Of course they have their own bathroom,” he sighs. “They probably have chandeliers and scented candles and plush sofas and everything.”

“Why don’t you go over there and find out?”

Emil takes a long look at him. “Are you trying to set me up?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.” Christophe removes the foil from his food and starts eating, not breaking eye contact with Emil.

“You are! You have the same look in your eyes when you tried to set Phichit up with that Korean guy from the bookstore.”

“And it turned out wonderfully didn’t it? I’m pretty sure they’re adopting a dog together soon.” Christophe sighs. “Tragic as my own love life is I seem to have a talent with meddling with my friends’.”

“Please don’t meddle with mine,” Emil says. “You’ve seen how Michele looks. How can all of this—“Emil gestures vaguely to his Super Mario shirt and torn jeans. “—compare to him?”

“Oh darling, don’t sell yourself short.” Christophe reaches out and pats his shoulder.”You have your own charm. You’re kind, sweet, funny, and your biceps are glorious. Anyone would be lucky to be crushed by those appendages.”

Emil flushes at the compliments but he laughs anyway. “Thank you for the vote of confidence but really I’m fine. I don’t have the guts to go in there.”

“Hm.” Emil suddenly fears for himself, flashing back to how Christophe somehow convinced Phichit that bringing a dog in a bookstore was a good idea to woo Seung-gil. “We’ll see about that.”

Christophe pats him on the cheek, grabs his lunch and leaves the shop, heading straight for the boutique.

“Oh my God.” Emil crouches down behind the counter in embarrassment.

What was Christophe thinking?!

 

* * *

 

 

Emil calms down enough to go about his day. There was an onslaught of customers while he was cowering behind the counter. Some of them rent the PCs in the gaming area so the shop is noisy with the sounds of teenagers cheering and yelling at each other. The others ask Emil about the board game room.

It’s less of a room and more of a storage area really. He has a couple of tables in there and a stack of foldable chairs. Customers can rent out board games for a couple of hours or bring their own and just borrow the space. Emil didn’t like how other stores only had areas for video games and other computer games. In his opinion, table top games are just as good and just as fun. He likes playing DnD, Coup, Avalon and Betrayal at House on the Hill.

There are no new customers for a while. Emil watches the group in the board game room play Betrayal at House on the Hill. The traitor is Father Rhinehart and the freckled girl who is playing him is so into it. She’s imitating a German accent and cackling when one of the other characters gets killed by the Vampire. There’s something about laughing with your friends as you shouted strategies at each other that’s different from chatting with them online.

He hears the bell above his door tinkle. He watches the group corner the vampire in the chapel tile to launch an attack before going back to the counter.

“Hello! Welcome to the Common Grounds Gaming Hub. How can I help you…today?”

Michele is standing in front of the counter, browsing through the stack of comics Emil keeps on the counter. He looks out of place, dressed in a dark blue suit with black lapels and lining.

“The X-men #4. Haven’t read this in a while.” Michele notices him and drops the comic book back on the pile. “Hi.”

Emil carefully puts on his “fun-store-owner-who-wants-to-make-his-customers-happy” smile instead of his “I’m-nervous-because-you’re-cute-and-I’d-totally-take-you-out-on-a-date-if-I-wasn’t-such-a-wuss” smile.

“Hi! I’m Emil. How can I help you today?” Smooth Nekola. Smooth.

“Well Emil—“Shit. His name never sounded any better coming from another person’s mouth. Focus Nekola. “—Christophe dropped by and mentioned something about—“

“Lies! Christophe is a liar and you shouldn’t believe anything he says” Emil fires out rapidly.

Michele blinks, confused. “So you don’t have a microwave I can borrow?”

“Uhhhhhh…I do?”

“Then would you mind?” Michele places a tupperware of something that looks like past on the counter. “We usually use the microwave at the convenience store but it’s all the way on the ground floor so if it’s not too much trouble…”

“O-oh. It’s fine.” Emil takes the pasta and pops it in the microwave. “Is 30 seconds good enough?”

Michele hums an affirmative, looking at the gaming area where Emil’s customers are playing some shooting game.

Emil taps his fingers on the counter. 30 seconds. He can make conversation in 30 seconds. No problem. Christophe got him in here; he might as well make the most of it.

“So…” Michele turns to face him. His face doesn’t betray a hint of emotion. “Do you like playing games?”

“Kind of. I used to play with my sister, Sara.” Michele gets a small sparkle in his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching. “I prefer card games though.”

Okay. Games. Emil can talk about games. “Like Hearthstone or Exploding Kittens? Or are you more of a Vanguard guy? The Royal Paladin deck sounds like you.”

“I was thinking more about poker.” Michele is frowning. “What the heck is Exploding Kittens?”

“Um…”

The microwave beeping cuts off whatever Emil was about to say. He distracts himself with pulling out Michele’s Tupperware, now warm to the touch.

“Thank you,” Michele says as he accepts it with a small smile. What Emil would do to see that every day.

Michele turns around to walk away. Emil sees an elaborate pattern of black sequins on the back of the suit.

It feels like a proverbial door slamming in his face.

So Emil sticks his foot out.

“Michele, wait!”

Michele pauses, hand already on the door. Emil’s customers pay no heed, too focused on their game to pay attention to the exchange. “If you…or any of your co-workers want to microwave your food you can drop by anytime. If you want to of course. I don’t mind.”

“You can just call me Mickey.” Michele—Mickey  faces him again. To Emil’s relief he doesn’t question how Emil knows his name. “Is that okay? We can pay you.”

“You don’t have to.” An idea pops in his head. “How about this, unlimited use of my microwave in exchange for unlimited use of your bathroom?”

“Our…bathroom?” Mickey finally cracks a smile. It feels like victory already. “What? Are the mall bathrooms that bad?”

“You have no idea. Seriously, you don’t. You have your own.”

Mickey snorts, hand flying up to his face to block the sound. The sight makes Emil grin. “Sure. I’ll have to talk to Victor and the rest of the staff about it, but I appreciate the offer.” He hovers at the door way for a moment. “I guess…I’ll see you around, Emil.”

Once Mickey leaves, Emil sinks to the floor again and buries his face in his hands.

 

* * *

 

 

Mickey’s boss agreed to the arrangement. Besides Emil’s usual customers throughout the day, handsome men in suits also come to the shop now.

First is Otabek Altin who came in his shop wearing an emerald suit with a red tie. He seems like a nice guy in Emil’s opinion. He even bought a deck of Exploding Kittens for his friend.

Next is Georgi Popovich who came in wearing a long, dark blue dress adorned with purple and green gems. They’re apparently one of the in-house designers and make-up artists. Emil has to wave off his offer to do his contouring several times.

Then, it’s Guang Hong Ji who came in a red and yellow suit. Emil likes him the most (besides Mickey of course). He’s technically just a part-timer at the boutique so after his shifts he’d come to play around Emil’s gaming area. Sometimes he brings his friend, Leo with him who Emil often sees at Jj’s music shop.

He’s only seen Viktor a handful of times. According to Christophe’s grapevine, he’s been hanging out the food court these days, near a certain Japanese restaurant.

Oddly enough it’s Mickey who he hasn’t seen much. He had asked Guang Hong about it and he finds out that Mickey has been sending his lunch with someone else to put in the microwave.

To be honest, Emil extended the offer so that he can see Mickey more often, but he doesn’t mind the company of everyone else. They’re a weird bunch and Emil has always liked getting involved with weird things, his own personal gaming collection is a testament to that.

“Thank you! Come again!” Emil waves at the couple of girls who are clutching at new Magic: The Gathering cards, already in deep conversation about artifacts and tournaments. Emil watches them exit the door, but his eyes catch a scene beyond them.

Mickey and Otabek are talking with each other. Mickey has a distressed look on his face while Otabek has his usual neutral expression on. Georgi suddenly butts in, saying something that has Mickey covering his face.

Emil watches as Georgi determinedly drags Mickey out of the boutique and straight for Emil’s shop.

Georgi speaks quickly, “Hi Emil! I won’t stay long. Just needed to escort grumpy pants here so he won’t chicken out. My offer for the contouring still stands by the way. Your cheek bones need justice. Okay. Bye!” He practically pushes Mickey inside before closing the door behind them.

“Er...hi…?” Mickey says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Today’s outfit is simple—white dress shirt, a bolo tie and a black blazer.

“Hi.” There’s no one else in the shop to diffuse the awkward atmosphere. “Did you need to use the microwave?”

“I already ate. I just came here to…talk.”

“Talk?”

“Yeah I…uh…” Mickey takes a deep breath and walks up to the counter. Emil freezes, hands gripping the counter tightly. “I’m sorry about what I said the first time I went here.”

Emil relaxes his hold. “What do you mean?”

“I guess it was ignorant of me to say poker when you have all this amazing stuff I’ve never even heard of.” Mickey looks around the shop, actually sounding sincere and interested at it that Emil feels a surge of pride light up inside him. “I mean, Yuri liked the deck Otabek got him and Guang Hong rushes over here when his shift is over. There must be something here more than playing cards.”

“There is! I mean, poker is a classic game but there is so much more out there.” Emil feels himself get excited, words rushing out before he can stop them. “Like there are card games, table top games, your usual video games, rhythm games and simulation games. It’s so much more than pressing buttons and drawing cards. It’s all about strategy, storytelling, it’s immersing yourself fully in the game that it doesn’t matter whose victory it is, you still leave with a smile on your face.”

Mickey is smiling at him. “Is that the spiel you give to all your customers?”

Emil flushes, aware that he probably just talked his ear off. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s always nice to see people so passionate about their job.” Mickey regards him thoughtfully. From that look alone Emil feels less like he’s about to combust and more like he’s being studied. “Can you recommend some games? For me?”

“S-Sure. What do you have in mind?”

“Whatever it is you like. I think the games you play tell you a lot about the kind of person you are.” Was that a compliment? Emil has no idea but he’s taking it as one anyway. Mickey glances down at his watch. “Not today though. Otabek covered for me. It’s not my break right now. Just drop by the shop whenever. Viktor already knows about our arrangement. Don’t tell me you’re still using the mall bathrooms?”

“Maybe?”

Mickey eyebrows furrow. “You don’t have to. Just drop by when you’re free, okay? I gotta go.”

Mickey waves at him as he leaves. Emil is too stunned to wave back. He only wakes up when Christophe drops by to heat up some soup and waves his hand in front of Emil’s love struck face.

 

* * *

 

 

“No,” Jj says without even looking up from where he’s tuning a guitar.

Emil pauses, barely even halfway inside the shop. “No to what exactly?”

“You can’t use my bathroom anymore.” Jj runs his fingers through the strings, smiling as it makes a pleasant noise. “Christophe called and asked me to revoke your bathroom privileges for the sake of your love life.”

Emil groans, sitting down heavily on one of the stools Jj keeps by the counter. “Does everybody know?”

“News travels quickly in the mall grapevine.” Jj sets aside the guitar to turn his attention to Emil. “So…tell King Jj why you’re not taking up your beau’s offer which, if my sources are correct, _you_ initiated?”

“Have you seen him? He’s so ohhh…and his outfits make him…and he has this smile that…and his eyes make feel so ughhh…and, and, and…why are you making that face?”

  Jj looks perplexed. “You’re not making any sense. Shall I translate it in terms you can understand?”

“Hey!”

“Do you want a Player 2 by your side or not?”

“I don’t know!” Emil folds his arms over the counter, pouting. “How are you supposed to know about these things anyway? All I know is I really want to get to know him and go on dates and hold hands and shit. I can’t even begin to think of him as my ‘Player 2’ or not.”

He hears Jj sigh and a hand pat the top of his head. “You’re so earnest it’s almost unbelievable you’ve never been in a relationship. Most people start by imagining their crushes as their Player 2.”

Emil looks childish, despite pushing 23. “Is that weird?”

Jj stops petting him, looking serious all of a sudden. “I think you just have different priorities. Rather than fantasizing about a relationship you don’t have yet, you want to develop the actual relationship first.” He grins. “And that will never happen if you stay here and mope, so off you go my friend!”

Emil is forcibly pushed out of the stool and out of the store.

“Wait! Jj, I really do need to use the bathroom!”  


 

* * *

 

 

Stammi Vicino Men’s Boutique looks beautiful when it’s not surrounded by people. The exterior is sleek gray stone and tall glass windows that let you see inside the shop. The shop’s name is written in fancy, gold lettering on the glass where two sets of mannequins dressed in suits stood.

Emil doesn’t know why he’s nervous. He already met most of the people who work there. Maybe it’s because he’s going inside it the shop for the first time.

The boutique looks just as fancy inside as it is in the outside. The lighting is soft, tinged with yellow and setting everything inside with a golden glow. The walls are lined with suits out on display with every color and style imaginable. Plush, purple sofas are scattered over the floor and vases of large white flowers decorate the hall.

“Welcome to Stammi Vicino Boutique!” Emil nearly jumps out of his skin when Otabek, Guang Hong and Georgi pop out of nowhere and bows at him. All three of them are wearing the same suits, with the only difference being the color of their ties.

“You don’t have to do that you know,” Emil says as he tries to calm down his racing heart.

“Viktor told us to do this to all the guests,” Guang Hong says as he rises up from his bow. “Makes them feel important, he says.”

Emil scratches the back of his head. “You don’t have to. It’s just…me.”

“Finally came to claim your end of the deal?” Georgi asks. At Emil’s nod he adds,” Good. I was beginning to think we were just taking advantage of you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Emil looks around the expanse of the shop, all the glitters and shiny fabric. “Is Mickey here?”

“He lets you call him Mickey?” Guang Hong asks, surprise clear in his face. “Only his sister can get away with that.”

“Uh yes? Is it that big of a deal?”

“Yeah! That means he—“

Georgi slaps a hand over Guang Hong’s mouth, cutting him off. “Excuse us for a moment.”

As Georgi carries off Guang Hong at the back room, Otabek gestures with a tilt of his head. “The bathroom is at the end of the hall, door to your right.”

Emil thanks him and heads for the bathroom. The shop is bigger than it looks on the outside. More racks of suit are in the back, along with luxurious-looking accessories like ties and cuff links and shoes on top shelves. Emil sees a necktie that costs more than a month of his apartment rent.

The bathroom is tucked away from sight, just next to the fitting rooms. It looks like the rest of the shop—white walls with silver and gold accents. There are succulents in the corner and fruity, pastel soap on the sink.

Forget about the necktie, this bathroom alone will cost him his entire life’s savings.

He does his business quickly. The soap smells like vanilla and cinnamon (he wonders if anyone was ever tempted to eat it). When Emil comes back to the front part of the store, the attendants are clustered around the front desk. Emil sees the silver-haired man from the opening, Christophe’s friend, Victor. He’s brandishing a large sketchbook and frowning as his employees shoot suggestions at him.

He certainly looks the part of someone who runs this kind of place.

“So what’s going on?” he asks Otabek who is not joining the debate and simply proceeds to flip their sign to ‘Closed.’

“It seems Viktor found a muse. He’s been babbling and sketching since he got here but I can barely understand what any of them are saying.” They watch as Viktor tears through page after page as Georgi struggles to collect and organize them all. “This design stuff is beyond me.”

“And yet you work for them?”

Otabek shrugs. “The pay is good.”

Viktor continues babbling,”…and when I asked him if he ever modeled before, he said ‘No.’ Can you believe that? It would be a crime not to expose that beautiful figure of his to the world. I’m telling you one way or another I’m going to have him here and fitted in a suit one day.”

“Wouldn’t you rather have him in a suit on your wedding day?” Georgi says cheekily. Viktor’s voice dies in his throat and Guang Hong laughs. “I’ll put this up in the studio. We can start making it tomorrow.”

Georgi goes behind the counter where there’s a door that Emil assumes must lead to their studio, but when he pulls it open Mickey comes stumbling out with a squawk.

Emil can only stare as Mickey picks himself up from the floor. Today’s outfit is a pale pink sweater with red velvet pants. It looks nice even with the dust and wrinkles.

“Emil!” Mickey exclaims. “Uh, hi.”

“Hi,” Emil says on reflex. “Were you just standing there or…?”

Mickey rubs the back of his neck. “I was…um…just…”

He looks at his workmates for help but they all avoid eye contact with him, but Viktor seems excited. “So this is Emil?” The next thing Emil knows Viktor is in his personal space, looking him up and down with a gleam in his eyes. “Mickey won’t stop talking about you! He’s very fond of you and that’s saying something because he’s not fond of people in general. I remember this one time, we were at a showcase for designers and he just spent the whole night in one corner on the phone. It was so—“

At this point Emil just tunes him out, focusing instead on the growing blush on Mickey’s face.

“—quite a nice figure yourself, Emil. Perhaps you’d like to participate in a promo sometimes?”

“Sure?” Emil doesn’t even know what he’s talking about.  

“Perfect! Why don’t you come to the back and we can take your measurements or maybe Michele would like to do that himself. What do you think?”

Emil’s skin is prickling. Viktor is too close and he hates it. He doesn’t like being close to people he just met.

There’s a hand curling around his wrist. Mickey pulls him away from Viktor and out of the shop. Emil lets out a breath he doesn’t know he was holding in.

“Sorry about Viktor. He can be too much sometimes.”

“It’s fine. I have a couple of friends who are like that. What did he mean by a promo anyway?”

“Promotions for the shop to showcase new designs. Viktor likes getting our opinions on the outfits. Each one is supposed to bring out a feeling and the models have to express that feeling in the photo shoot.” Mickey looks pensive. “I admit the designs are good but we rarely get to showcase them. We just can’t seem to give off the feeling Viktor wants.”

“It’s nice that he gets your opinions. I think your clothes should reflect who you are as a person. Although I’m not big on fashion so I’m probably not making sense.”

“No, I get it.” Mickey smiles. Emil’s heart does somersaults in his chest. “I like your shirt by the way.”

“Oh…uh…thanks.” It’s a Pokemon shirt he got as a present way back with a Mew printed up front. “I like your pants.”

“Yurio has been...experimenting.” Mickey makes a face. “I can’t breathe or move in this thing. They’ll have to cut me out of it.”

Emil laughs. “Now that would be a sight to see.”

“I really don’t recommend it. Fancy as it is up front, our studio is a mess. Viktor’s idea of a punishment is us picking up needles from the floor.”

“It must be hard, but it sounds fun being together like that.”

“They drive me crazy but I wouldn’t change a thing.” What about you, Emil?”

“Well it’s just me working there so the backroom is just my own space. I sleep there some times on slow days. I almost got locked in once when the mall closed. Good thing my friend from the security team found me.”

It’s the longest conversation they’ve had so far and more smiles than Emil usually gets. It’s a nice change talking like this instead of just exchanging pleasantries. If Emil focuses hard enough he can feel the nervous flutter inside him settles down into comfortable warmth in his stomach.

“So this might be weird of me to ask, but I’m trying to get into gaming more. You sound so happy talking about it that I want to try. I don’t have a Playstation or any of that fancy handheld stuff so if you can recommend stuff for a PC that would be great.”

“I do! Wait here.” Emil quickly rushes in the Hub. Christophe looks up from the counter, about to say something, but Emil makes his way past him and into the backroom where he keeps his own personal stack of video games. He quickly scans the shelf under the ‘PC’ category, grabs a disk case and runs back out.

“It’s called Team Fortress 2. It’s an FPS—first person shooter,” Emil clarifies when he notes Mickey’s confusion. “There’s nine classes with different specialties and different game modes. It should be beginner friendly enough.”

“Thank you.” Mickey accepts the worn out looking case. “So how much for it?”

“Oh no need. It’s from my personal collection. Just return it whenever. I mean it. Feel free to test out some of the games and see which ones fit.”

“Is that an invitation to drop by sometime?” Mickey sounds hopeful.

Emil’s mind screams, _now or never._

“Of course! It doesn’t even have to be for the microwave or video games. If you just want to talk or hang out during breaks, I’m here.” Emil flashes him a smile that he hopes looks charming. Damn, Viktor and Christophe make it look so effortless.

“Then, I’ll guess I’ll take you up on that offer.” Mickey starts walking backwards to the shop. He raises the case and waves it. “See you around.”

“See you,” Emil replies with his own wave. He walks back to the Hub, legs a bit stiff.

“That was rude.” Christophe is pouting. “What happened back there?”

Emil just sighs and places a hand on his chest. “Something wonderful.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> End of Chapter 1
> 
> Chapter 2: Gamezone and Luka’s (Mickey’s P.O.V.)


End file.
